Music Major/Minor

Music Major/Minor

A Saint Mary’s Bachelor of Arts in Music provides students the opportunity to study music in a liberal arts focused program.

Majoring in music gives students the flexibility to explore all aspects of music, from theory and performance to music business and arts administration. With a focus on small classes, expert faculty, and real-world experience, Saint Mary’s music majors graduate with a breadth of knowledge and multiple career paths to choose from.

Career Options

Students who possess a degree in music are prepared for careers as archivists, arts administrators, composers, elementary, middle, and high school teachers, and historians.

High School Preparation

High school coursework that will support a student in his or her pursuit of a degree in music includes experience in Band or Orchestra, Chorus, Music, Music History, and Music Theory.

Degree Requirements

This course is designed to be an introduction to music reading and understanding. The fundamentals of pitch and rhythm are covered along with ear training and score reading in this computer-assisted course.

This course is designed to stimulate interest in and enjoyment of music from its beginnings through medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th century styles, including various styles of non-Western music. This course is required for music majors and minors and is also a general education aesthetics content area course open to all students with an interest in music.

This course is designed for students interested in increasing their knowledge of the basic elements of music. Concepts covered include: keys, scales, simple and compound rhythms, intervals, triads, 7th chords, principles of voice leading, harmonic progression, cadences, phrases and periods.

The objective of this course is to develop aural skills involving melody, rhythm and harmony. Concepts covered include: identification of intervals, scales, triads, sight-singing and one voice melodic and rhythmic dictations.

This course is a continuation of Music Theory II. Music Theory III, along with its predecessors, Music Theory I–II will enable the student to think critically about music of all periods and styles. Concepts to be covered will include: unconventional uses of augmented 6th chords, enharmonicism, altered dominants, sonata form, the breakdown of tonality, and post 20th century techniques including basic set theory, 12-tone composition and integral serialism.

This is a lab course and is a continuation of Ear Training II. The objective of this course is to continue to develop aural skills involving melody, rhythm and harmony. Concepts covered include: complex one voice dictation, two voice dictation, harmonic dictation and complex sight singing.

A comprehensive review of transcripts, a portfolio of work, and a juried performance examination normally occurring during the second semester of the sophomore year. Required for all music majors in their fourth semester of study.

This lab course is intended to give students an overview of music technology by connecting today's hardware and software tools with the history of electronic music. Areas explored include Sound Synthesis, MIDI, Sequencing, Music Notation, Digital Audio Editing, and Computer Aided Music Instruction. The course is required for all music majors, but open to all students with an interest in music technology as an elective.

This course is a writing intensive study of music history covering ancient, medieval, renaissance, and baroque western art music. A basic understanding of the history of western civilization is expected.

This course is an introduction to the keyboard for music majors with limited keyboard background. Emphasis is on functional skills such as reading, transposing, harmonizing, improvising, and playing by ear; along with keyboard theory, technique, and repertoire. A grade of "C" or higher in both the final exam and course are required to fulfill the piano proficiency requirement.

This course is a continuation of Keyboard Musicianship I with further development of keyboard skills focused on raising the level of technical proficiency and increasing the students' competence in keyboard improvisation, harmonization, sight reading, and scales. A grade of "C" or higher in both the final exam and course are required to fulfill the piano proficiency requirement.

D. Minimum of six music electives credits

May reflect individual interest and career goals.

Please Note:

MU130 Music Fundamentals I and MU131 Music Fundamentals II, or equivalent proficiency are prerequisites for MU160 Music Theory I. All students take an initial placement exam to determine theory proficiency.

This course is designed to be an introduction to music reading and understanding. The fundamentals of pitch and rhythm are covered along with ear training and score reading in this computer-assisted course.

This course is designed for students interested in increasing their knowledge of the basic elements of music. Concepts covered include: keys, scales, simple and compound rhythms, intervals, triads, 7th chords, principles of voice leading, harmonic progression, cadences, phrases and periods.

The objective of this course is to develop aural skills involving melody, rhythm and harmony. Concepts covered include: identification of intervals, scales, triads, sight-singing and one voice melodic and rhythmic dictations.

This course is designed to stimulate interest in and enjoyment of music from its beginnings through medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th century styles, including various styles of non-Western music. This course is required for music majors and minors and is also a general education aesthetics content area course open to all students with an interest in music.

This course examines unique Western and non-Western aspects of jazz and its relationship to the Afro-American culture. It is intended to give students an introduction to various styles of jazz from its beginning in the early 1900s to the present. Students study the cultural context of jazz, what to listen for, and some basic aspects of how it is performed.

This course is a writing intensive study of music history covering ancient, medieval, renaissance, and baroque western art music. A basic understanding of the history of western civilization is expected.

This course is a continuation of MU341. It is a writing intensive study of music history continuing through the classical, romantic and contemporary periods.

D. Four semesters

Four semesters of applied lessons/private instruction taken for credit in major performing instrument (MUL)

E. Six semesters

Six semesters of ensembles (MUE) minimum.

Please Note:

MU130 Music Fundamentals I and MU131 Music Fundamentals II, or equivalent proficiency are prerequisites for MU160 Music Theory I. All students take an initial placement exam to determine theory proficiency.